Anger doesn't suit you
by JupiterComesThunderingIn09
Summary: Epilogue to "The Croaking". Mikey and Raph are still not communicating about what happened earlier in the farm house. Mikey's mad and Raph doesn't want to let his emotions and guard down. Some fluff goodness! :)


Yeah, another epilogue from an episode. I was mildly disappointed with "The Croaking". I wasn't satisfied with the ending. They always avoid the problems instead of talking them out. Poor Mikey, he almost left home because of built up issues and instead of talking them out, they just went on about their business. Well, here is some Raph and Mikey fluff. I hope you like it. Please read and review.

I own nothing. TMNT is the property of Nick.

The brothers were on their way back to the farm house with April and Casey. Michelangelo had his arms wrapped around Donatello and Leonardo's shoulders. The young turtle was babbling about their latest adventure and wanting to see ice cream kitty when they got home. Raphael was bringing up the rear, walking slowly behind the three brothers. Thoughts plagued his mind about the events that had happened earlier that day. The red banded turtle tuned out his younger brother, and he was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't feel a warm hand rest on his shoulders.

He stopped dead in his tracks when he felt the grip dig a little harder in his skin. He spun around and was met with concerned blue eyes.

"Raph, are you okay?" April asked in nothing but a whisper.

"I'm fine, why?" he snapped back, trying to hide whatever was weighing on his mind.

"You just seem off" she replied as the turtle pulled away from her grip, turned, and started towards his brother's again.

"It's nothing, April" he said continuing to walk.

Casey stopped next to April and both teens watched their terrapin friend continue his journey back to the farm house. "I think he's feeling a little guilty about what happened with Mikey, Red" he said.

"Then why doesn't he talk to Mikey about it?" She asked frowning.

"That's just how they are. It's a guy thing, April. We never discuss feelings with one another" the boy replied as he motioned her to join him in his walk back.

"But Mikey was so upset and hurt. He looked like a kicked puppy when we left the house earlier" she said, a hint of frustration was in her voice. "Mikey is a sensitive guy and just needs some reassurance from his brothers. I think they need to patch things up. I don't want anything like that happen again".

"You're over thinking it, Red. Just let it be" the hockey masked vigilante said as the two approached the farm house.

The house. It was still trashed from when the frogs attacked them the previous night. "Humans Beware" was still graffitied on the house. Holes where the windows once were showed the inside of the house. Tables, plants, rugs, and lamps were overturned or destroyed, making the red head sigh as there was no use in trying to keep a clean house with the turtles and Casey around. She knew it wasn't their fault but was just exhausted thinking about another mess that she has to clean up.

April and Casey stopped at the front porch where the turtle brothers stood, still in awe of the mess that needed to be cleaned.

"I think it would be better for us to get some rest first. We've been up all night. This mess can wait" Leo said as he glanced at April and headed in the house.

The turtle brothers nodded in agreement and headed in. April and Casey followed. The red head knew she couldn't argue with that logic. She wasn't much of a procrastinator but she was exhausted. Who knew mutant frogs and turtles could take so much out of you?

The next day…

The house looked better than it did the day before. The window holes were still large and an eye sore. However, the house was spotless on the inside. Besides the graffiti on the outside of the house and the busted up windows and doors, no one would ever know that they were invaded by giant mutant frogs.

Mikey put down his mop in the corner of the kitchen. Sighing, the young turtle made his way over to the freezer and opened the door. Ice cream kitty greeted him, flailing her little Neapolitan arms about. A small mew escaped her lips when she saw her master.

"Aw, Ice Cream Kitty, you are so delicious, I could just eat you up" Mikey said in a high pitched voice. The turtle poked his head in to receive a chocolate kiss from his frozen pet.

"Pfft, talking to that stupid pet of yours again, Mikey" Raph said as he took a seat at the kitchen table.

"Hey, Ice Cream Kitty is an intelligent creature. She understands me dude" Mikey replied as he closed the freezer door.

"Sure she does, Mikey" The hothead replied, rolling his eyes.

"Well at least she listens to me. Unlike other people around here" the orange turtle growled before taking a seat across from his brother.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Raph asked, a hint of anger in his voice.

"Never mind. I thought you would understand, I mean you use to talk to Spike all the time" he replied, a look of defeat washed over his face. The young turtle sat with his head in his right hand and moped.

"What were you doing out in the woods in the first place?" Raphael asked breaking the silence.

It took Mikey a couple of minutes to process what Raph was asking before he lifted his head and looked up at his brother.

"Why do you care?" he responded back, coldly. Raph was taken back with his brother's sudden coldness towards him. Mikey got up from his seat when Raphael finally replied back.

"Something bothering you?" Raph asked, getting up himself and heading towards his brother.

"No" he said abruptly.

"Well, your attitude towards me since we got back has, well, sucked" Raph was angry. Why wouldn't Mikey talk to him about what was going on? "You're mad at me, aren't you?" he taunted.

"Congratulations, Captain Obvious, you've done solved the mystery" Mikey said, his tone changing sarcastic. The turtle started to leave the kitchen when Raph grabbed his shoulder. Without turning around to look at his brother, Michelangelo shrugged him off, pulling away from his brother's grasp. "Don't act like you care all of a sudden. You've never cared about me to begin with. Always a screw up and good for a laugh is what I am to you". The turtle than turned to face his brother. "You all feel guilty about what happened and when I show that I forgive you, everything goes back to normal. You go back to treating me like a fucking idiot. This happened when I went to Dimension X. You never listened to me when I knew something was up with April's Mom. And I bet when you found out that I ran away, you didn't even come looking for me".

"You were running away?" Raph asked surprised. They all originally thought Mikey just flaked out on them and got caught up in his fantasy again, leaving them with the mess that he left. "We searched all over the woods for you, for your information Mr. all high and mighty ass".

"Napoleon offered for me to go to Louisiana with him and the frog army. I should have went. At least he finally gets the respect that he deserves. And he gets me. Ice Cream Kitty gets me. You don't, you always underestimate me. You know what Raphael, I hate you. Get out of my way." Mikey said, storming off.

Raph was stunned. He had no idea that his taunt about ice cream kitty earlier would get him this fired up. All this anger and tension had to have been building up for some time now. It seemed silly to be upset about his teasing, Raph thought. Maybe he really has been an awful brother towards Mikey. The fact that Mikey said he hated him hurt more than any punch the Shredder or the Kraang could throw at him.

"I told Casey that you guys needed to work this out" Raph turned to see April in the doorway. The girl made her way over to Raph and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Talk this out Raph. When things get this deep, you don't let them fester. You're upset about what you said and Mikey is upset about what you said. Talk it out."

"What's the point. He won't listen to me" Raph started to say.

"He won't listen because of your approach. Let your guard down. It's okay to show feelings sometimes, Raphael. It doesn't make you weaker. If you don't, Mikey's resistance towards you is just going to grow" she said, moving her hands to the back of his shell, pushing him towards the barn. "Now go to him".

Raphael stumbled out of the door and looked towards the barn. Taking a deep breath, he chased after his brother. On his way there, he kept replaying the conversation that he wanted to have with him in his head. Raph was never good at expressing how he felt. When it came to emotions, he was a turtle of a few words, if any.

Grumbling, he opened the door and peered in, trying to catch a glimpse of his brother. "Mikey?" he asked.

The turtle stepped further inside the doorway and shut it. Darkness filled the room other than the little bit of sunshine that was showing through the stall doors and windows. "Mikey? You there?" he continued to ask he trekked quietly across the old floor boards. He was about to give up his search before catching a glimpse of orange and green sitting in one of the stalls. Not wanting to startle him, Raph crept up to where his brother was sitting, and just glanced in.

Mikey was taping up his right side. Raph caught the grimace that his brother was making every time he moved his arms up to tape his side. Guilt rushed over the older turtle as he realized that he needed to really set things right this time.

He finally decided to let himself be known. "Mikey" Raph pushed open the stall door, startling the youngest.

"What?" was the reply as Mikey tried to hide the tape now up and down his side. He tried to place a piece of tape right underneath his arm but was too sore to do so himself. He let out a hiss of pain before Raph grabbed his hand.

"Let me help, hold still" he said as he released his brother's hand, grabbing the tape that flapped loosely between his two fingers. Mikey gave in and slowly lifted his arms up so Raph could get a better look.

The turtles side was bruised and tape ran up and down on the side of his plastron. Michelangelo was relieved that his brother didn't say anything as he helped him tape up his ribs. When the last white strip was placed Mikey nodded an appreciative nod and sat down in the corner, not making eye contact.

Raph immediately followed, motioning Mikey to scoot over so he had room to sit. They sat in silence, taking in the musty smell of the barn. Raphael took a deep breath in and decided to cut through the silence.

"You know, I was scared, Bro" Raph said not making any eye contact towards his brother. His glance remained fixated on the stall door, hoping that he would get a response.

"What?" Mikey said startled, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"I was worried because the frogs, they were so big. They were able to take us down so easily and when we couldn't find you, I thought they got you too" He said.

"But, you said that I was a screw up. I thought that you didn't want me or cared about me" Mikey asked looking at his brother.

"No, that's not true. I guess I over reacted when you trashed the house. I didn't mean what I said. Mikey," he said before make his brother look directly into his eyes. His rough, calloused palms held his brother's face still. "I would be devastated if something ever happened to you. I need you more than you think. We need you more than you think"

"Who are you and what have you done with Raph?" Mikey smiled.

Thinking back to what April said, Raph replied, "I need to let my guard down sometimes. Mikey, I don't want this to come between us. We're stronger than that. We're better than that. We're brothers".

Tears formed in Mikey's eyes when Raph said that. All he ever wanted was to feel accepted and wanted by his clan. Napoleon found his place and Mikey was feeling, well jealous. His brothers never accepted his faults or shenanigans when he always accepted them for who they were.

"Don't cry" Raph said, a lump forming in his throat. His thumb wiped what little tears threatened to escape from the young turtle's eyes. Mikey pulled away from his brother's hands and hugged him. Mikey hugged his brother tight, burying his head in his plastron not wanting to let go.

Raph wrapped his arms around his brother's small frame and pulled him closer towards him. He felt a small whimper against him. He rested his hand against his little brother's head and let him cry it out.

"I don't hate you" came a muffled voice.

"I know, and I don't think you are a screw up or worthless. I…." Raph stopped, making sure the words were going to come out right. "I love you" he continued, smiling. He never told his brother's that he loved them openly. I guess April was right. Mikey needed to hear this.

He decided to continue. "I love you so much and I would…" another lump managed to lodge itself in his throat and tears started to sting at his eyes. Controlling his emotions a little more, Raphael continued. "I would do anything to protect you. Always remember that"

"I love you too" Mikey said. When his sobs became hiccups, Raph still clung onto his brother. A wave of calmness washed over the bigger turtle. For some reason, he was at ease now that all of his bottled emotions were out and released.

"How did you get broken ribs to begin with?" he said changing the subject.

"Remember when Attila was going after you? He got me good with his staff before I took him down". So he took the hit that was meant for me?

"Does Donnie know?" he asked, dryly.

"No, and don't say anything. I think I will be okay. It will just take some time to heal" Mikey replied.

"I'm sorry you got hurt Mikey. And I don't mean the ribs either" Raph said. "And don't ever feel that your problems or pain are so big that you have to run away from them. We don't talk about our problems with one another very often and we should. Promise me if you are upset about something that you will talk to me about them."

"I promise Raph. I promise" Mikey said snuggling closer to his brother.

Raphael knew one thing, he loved his little brother no matter how annoying he could be. And he wasn't afraid to admit that.

THE END!


End file.
